Beginning on 1 October, Austria will impose a national surcharge of 2 euros for parcel on purchases from e-commerce platforms. The charge applies to online retailers and marketplaces whose yearly turnover from sales to Austrian customers surpasses 100 million euros in the nation.
Thousands of other businesses are affected indirectly, leading to considerable resistance to the levy. The Austrian levy is separate from the EU’s 3-euro charge per product category on small consignments from outside the bloc, introduced on 1 July.
According to the Austrian government, the national levy serves to curb the influx of parcels and strengthen product safety controls. However, it applies to purchases from all large online stores and marketplaces, including domestic ones, offering no particular advantage to large Austrian ecommerce companies.
Rainer Will, director of the Austrian Retail Association, states that the measure affects around one in three domestic online stores, with 4,000 sellers facing additional indirect costs and administrative burdens. Will estimates that half of all online orders are affected and that the levy will cost almost 3,000 jobs and reduce GDP by 360 million euros annually.
Large players, including Amazon, Otto, Refurbed, and Zalando, have voiced objections to the levy, as has Wirtschaftskammer Österreich, the Austrian Economic Chamber. Critics argue that the costs, including a 20 percent VAT, will ultimately be passed on to consumers, effectively bringing the total to 2.40 euros per parcel.
The Austrian Economic Chamber and other critics express concern that the levy will have negative consequences for the economy. They argue that the additional costs will be borne by consumers, which could lead to a decrease in online sales.
